Race car previews Chevy's new RWD SS

Chevrolet is preparing to unleash a V8-powered rear-wheel drive performance sedan next year and while the road car is still under wraps, GM has just revealed the Nascar version that will take to the tracks next year.

While the coupé bodyshell of the racer is far cry from what we'll see on the road car, its fake headlights, grille and taillights are a very good indication of what we'll see on the production SS.

This road car is also going to be something of a recycled job. It will be closely based on Australia's next-generation Holden Commodore, just like our current Chevrolet Lumina is, and it's not going to be new from the ground up.

Previous spy shots have already revealed that the new Holden uses the same body shell as the current model, although the front and rear ends have been redesigned.

The new sedan will use various aluminium components to cut its overall weight by about 30kg.

Thankfully it's not going the downsized engine route to achieve better economy. While engine details have yet to be released, Chevrolet has promised a 'small block' V8.

It's also unlikely that the South African Lumina replacement will differ much from the North American SS, which is set to make its first public appearance at the Detroit Motor Show in January 2013.